Making Do
by Uniasus
Summary: 4A of Fated. (make sure you read 1-3 first!) Hiccup and Merida make do with their star-crossed status.


Making Do

_By Uniasus_

**4A of Fated**

* * *

It didn't work for either of them.

It had been determined that the Caledonia kingdom needed its princess and the Berk needed it's dragon expert. Neither community could spare their half of the marriage couple.

##########

"I can't believe they said no! To all our suggestions!" Merida was slashing a sword at the trees beside the stream, Hiccup watching her with sad eyes.

"I know."

Toothless whined from his position at Hiccup's feet, understanding something was wrong but not knowing what or how to fix it.

"ARG!" Merida hit a tree and her sword stuck. She tried pulling on it, but eventually collapsed onto the ground.

"Come here," Hiccup said, opening his arms, and Merida slid into them.

"I just want to be with you Hiccup." She started crying, turning to curl into his shoulder.

"We could run away."

"That would be selfish. It brings more bad that good."

He didn't really agree with that, it had been his selfish desire to save Toothless that had set Berk on the path it currently sat on, but he knew that Merida had learned a different lesson. And maybe that was one of the differences between their cultures. Vikings praised those who stood out, Celts seemed to like even groups. Heroes were just in the legends, not walking around with a limp.

But he knew that in this case, she was probably right.

##########

Coming back to Berk was a disappointment. Hiccup had built a half fantasy of sharing a room in Merida's castle, maybe building a private hut on top of the Firefall, and setting up a proper forge. Coming back to his viking island just made him depressed.

Which was something Astrid didn't really seem to get.

Stoick had brought other village leaders to Caledonia for negotiations. While it hadn't been a secret that Hiccup's marriage to Merida was on the table, or the fact that they were acquainted to each other, Stoick had managed to keep the fact that Hiccup and Merida had been a couple for awhile and that the idea of marriage had been Hiccup's secret. Maybe he had anticipated trouble with Astrid and tried to save Hiccup the stress. Or maybe save himself from hot water as Astrid's mom had been on of the leaders on the trip.

Astrid just knew Hiccup had been set up in a marriage to another tribe to strengthen relationships, a marriage that had fallen through.

"Aren't you happy that you didn't have to marry that other girl? Now we can get married."

Hiccup paused in his walk. "Us?"

"Well yeah, that's usually what happens after you date someone for years."

Which was why he had asked Merida to marry him.

But Astrid didn't know about that. She was talking about them.

Oh Loki was playing him. He had known Astird liked him, she punched and kissed him often enough, but he didn't realize she _liked-liked _him. Didn't realize she thought of them as a couple. He had thought she was just being flirty, but he had never responded to anything she did. Never did anything to discourage it either now that he looked back on the past two years.

He should tell her, he never thought of her as other than a friend.

But two years of keeping quiet about Merida were quite a habit, and he wasn't used to talking about anything relating to a relationship.

"Yeah, usually."

##########

While the marriage hadn't worked, Stoick and Fergus had still opened up trade between the two of them. In honor of that alliance, members of Berk had been invited to Merida's 18th birthday, also her wedding.

Stoick went. Hiccup didn't.

He spent the week in the gully crying into Toothless's wing.

But Merida sent him a gift. A wooden copy of a Celtic iron wedding band.

##########

"Astrid came to see me today," Stoick said over dinner.

"Yeah?" Hiccup looked up from his fish. "About what?"

"You."

He furrowed his eyebrows in confusion.

"She proposed an alliance between our families."

Hiccup dropped his fork and Toothless jerked out of his nap.

"What? What did you say?"

"Well, that it was unusual for the girl to do the asking, but that I figured you would never do it." Because of Merida went unspoken, but Hiccup supposed Astrid took it to mean that Hiccup was still awkward in social situations and would never do the asking himself.

"Did you say yes?"

"I said she would be a good match, but that I'd have to check with you first."

Slowly, Hiccup picked up his fork and put a piece of fish in his mouth.

"I can't stop loving Merida."

"I know, no more than I can stop loving your mom."

"It wouldn't be fair to Astrid."

"No. You could say no, and she would throw an ax at your head and eventually find someone else. But Hiccup, you need a wife. You have to carry our line. And while you don't love Astrid, you care for her right?"

"I guess."

"With her, you could find some version of happiness. And that's all I want for you son. I want you to enjoy life. Plus, her family has a rather large flock."

Hiccup stopped eating to make sure he was hearing his father right. "Let me get this straight, knowing I don't love Astrid, you still think I should marry her because her family is rich and because she's the only girl on the island who I can stand to be around."

"Yes. Unless your opinions of Ruffnut have changed."

"No, they haven't." Ruff was too...unstable for his taste.

"Then Astrid is making do with what you have available. You wouldn't be the first viking to be married to someone you don't love. At least you get along with her."

"Yeah."

"I'll tell her yes tomorrow."

Hiccup didn't answer, just pushed himself away from the table and made his way upstairs.

He knew being Chief of Berk would require sacrifices, he just didn't realize they would be as big as this.

##########

The marriage was a long affair, but Astrid strangely made it better. She was so happy that Hiccup couldn't help but smile, both because her mood was infectious and because he couldn't stand the thought of spoiling it. And if he sometimes confused the red fur she was dressed in with red hair, no one needed to know.

His dad clasped him on the shoulder before they went into their new house. It said be strong, I'm proud of you, you'll make it through it, and if you ever need to talk I'm here.

It was the last one that really touched Hiccup and made him realize just how much he loved his father. Not that their talks were always awesome, but they had been getting better. And knowing that his dad was there to help him when ever he wanted meant the world.

##########

Astrid was okay, but Merida was where his heart really lied and so at the first opportunity he took off to Caledonia. He was the official messenger between the two cultures, it was expected, but he wondered if his role was something both sets of parents had done to help the lovers see each other.

He fiddled with the ring Merida had given him before slipping it on his finger just before flying into view of the stone circle.

Merida was waiting for him.

##########

They wasted little time for words. Merida had dragged him off of Toothless and taken off his shirt right there in the stone circle. They usually looked for more private location to join, the stone circle wasn't normally visited but it was a large landmark and that held religious purpose. But at the moment neither cared and Toothless took over the watch, hiding their coupling with a wing.

Merida twisted the ring on Hiccup's finger. "You're not my true husband, so I couldn't give you an iron ring, but hopefully this will still to the job. The knots represent the entwining of two fates."

Hiccup kissed her nose, and then rose to his knee to retrieve something from the saddle bag. "Our brides are decked with necklaces and a belt of keys. Couldn't really tell you what the represent, vikings like traditions but don't really remember things or write them down often. So, here."

He handed her a necklace with a large key hanging from it. He had made the length of the chain adjustable, and while attempts to make the key in the shape of a dragon had failed he had managed to get the scrolls in the head to form an 'H'.

Merida pulled it over her head, clasping it at the longest length so the key hung just below her nipples.

"It's beautiful."

"You're not my true wife, but I still had to give you something."

"What? You got married too?"

##########

Dinner had been an interesting affair. Merida's husband seemed rather air headed, not quite understanding what was going on. Fergus and Elinor however easily spotted the fact that while Merida and Hiccup were not married to each other they certainly acted like it. To Hiccup's surprise, they didn't act like it bothered them and Hiccup wondered how common sex outside of marriage was.

It wasn't odd for vikings to have sex with multiple partners before marriage, but afterwords it was thought that they had to be faithful.

It was strange, having Merida's parents secretly be okay with him sleeping with her behind her husband's back. A husband who sat across from him and was probably the only person in the castle to not realize what was going on between Merida and Hiccup. Even Maudie had given him a wink when he walked in.

Vaguely, Hiccup wondered if Merida had chosen a spacy husband on purpose. And when he asked the question after dinner she rolled her eyes and said of course she had.

"You said it yourself, we're fated to be together and there was no point choosing a husband who would interfere."

"Wish I could say the same about my wife."

"Do you think she would try to come between us?"

"If she know, oh yeah. Astrid is very handy with an ax. I'm pretty sure I would lose a lot of body parts."

"I would be sad if that was the case."

"Me too."

##########

Hiccup didn't know what Merida's husband thought, but every time he was in Caledonia Merida slept in his room instead of her husband's. Everyone in the castle had to know it was happening, but no one seemed to mind.

##########

"God Hiccup," Astrid said one night after they coupled. "Why do I always have to do all the work?"

"Cuz your a strong viking woman who still intimidates me?"

"Point."

But truthfully, Hiccup had a hard time having sex with Astrid. It felt wrong to lay with anyone who wasn't Merida, like he was cheating. Technically he was cheating on Astrid, but Hiccup never thought of it that way. Astird started all sexual encounters, and while she complained, she never insisted that Hiccup take the lead. He figured she was happy enough while he was just making do until the next time he could fly off on Toothless.

##########

It was pure coincidence that the birth of Merida's first child overlapped with one of Hiccup's visits to her. He had been shuffled out of the room while she pushed and screamed, and not being able to handle hearing the screams and be prohibited from helping he had gone for a long flight on Toothless. But when he had returned, Merida was still in labor so Hiccup holed up in the make-shift dragon stable. It had been built for Toothless, though Fergus had hoped to find and tame a local variety that could make its home there.

But for now, it was just Hiccup and Toothless amongst the straw. And then Fergus joined him.

"I hate births. I find the child afterwords to be great, but I hated hearing Elinor in pain."

Hiccup nodded, rubbing a rag over his dragon's body for the second time.

"Mind if I help? Normally I'd go bear hunting, but the sun is setting."

Hiccup threw him a spare rag. "Go for it. Toothless loves the attention."

The Night Fury crooned an affirmative and Fergus smiled a little.

##########

About the time Hiccup would be drifting off to sleep, there was a knock on his door.

"Come in," he said, sitting up against the pillows.

It was Elinor. "I figured you would want to know, the birth is over." She looked spent, the queen had been in the birthing chambers for the eight hours Merida had been in labor, but her eyes were smiling.

Quickly, Hiccup threw back the covers and made for the door before falling on his face. He had forgotten he wasn't wearing his metal leg, that he had taken it off like normal before falling asleep. Elinor waited while he hooked it on, hiding a laugh at his eagerness.

Hiccup didn't care about walking the castle in his sleepwear and walked beside Elinor, asking questions about the child she refused to answer.

He hesitated outside the door, but the queen gave him a little shove and he opened to allow them to slip in.

Fergus was there already, Maudie and the healer as well doing something in a corner. Merida's husband was absent, but that was to be expected. He had gone with some of the villagers on a hunting trip and wasn't expected back for another two days.

Hiccup paused in the doorway, looking at Merida. She looked so tired, her hair was limp with sweat around her face and she seemed skinnier than normal. But when the door had opened she had looked up and caught Hiccup's eye. Her face lit up, joy and pride, and she lifted her arms to show the small bundle in them that had until now escaped Hiccup's notice.

He walked to the side of bed and sat down next to her, putting his arms around his princess.

"Hello there little guy," he said, wiggling his fingers in the baby's face even though it's eyes were squeezed shut.

"Girl," Merida giggle corrected and Hiccup quickly amended himself.

"Hello there little girl. She looks like you."

And she did, kinda. Hiccup supposed it was too early to tell, with how wrinkly the baby looked. But he could see traces of Merida in her ears and the bit of baby hair visible was red.

Merida leaned over to whisper in his ear. "Her nose is yours," and Hiccup was startled into the thought that this child in Merida's arms wasn't half of her oaf husband, but half him.

"Really?" he breathed, not quite believing it.

"Really. And when she's older, I'm sure her eyes will look like your too."

Hesitantly, Hiccup brushed a finger along the check of his daughter and the child opened her eyes to look at him. They were blue, like those of all babies, but he supposed that maybe the eyes looking at him reminded him of Stoick's eyes. But he saw those more frequently than his own.

"Want to hold her?" Merida asked.

"Are you kidding, I'd drop her!"

"No you won't."

Gently, Merida transferred the child to him and Hiccup could do nothing but stare at the infant in his arms while Merida leaned against his shoulder.

"Do you have a name?"

Merida reached over to pull the blanket tighter around the child.

"I thought Carlin would work." Hiccup knew Carlin was the name of the spirit of Samhain, the festival that Hiccup had just missed. He had been to the festival before though and enjoyed it. Celts had a better naming culture than vikings he thought. Astrid would probably want to name their kid Trollbane or Horngut.

"Carlin. It's pretty."

The moment was interrupted by Fergus, he had been standing next to the couple and peering at his granddaughter. "Can I hold her?"

Hiccup handed her over and watched as Fergus stared with wonder at the child. He then leaned down to kiss Merida on the forehead, having no trouble crossing over Hiccup's chest. "I'm so proud of you Merida."

"Thanks Dad."

Hiccup was only sad that Stoick couldn't be there too. He made sure to sketch Carlin several times before leaving.

##########

"I take it your visit was good?" Stoick asked, noticing Hiccup's mood when he returned from Berk.

Hiccup tossed him a sketch book. "Look at your granddaughter."

His dad clasped him in a huge hug. Despite now almost eighteen and fully grown, Stoick still rose above him and was twice as wide. "Congratulations son. Now, let's get some mead."

They couldn't tell the village why they were celebrating, but everyone assumed it was because of Astrid's news. As Hiccup later learned, she had told her parents she was pregnant, and of course the entire village knew within a day.

But when he did eventually hear the news it didn't seem that important to Hiccup. As if hearing Astrid was carrying his child was no different from hearing that there were Terrors underfoot again. He still kissed her though, he was drunk on mead and still feeling Carlin in his arms. If Astrid thought it was because of her news, that was okay with him.

* * *

Weddings symbols that the two exchange – pretty much made up. My Celtic encyclopedia has stories involving weddings, but nothing actually describing them but one of them mentioned rings. And as for Norse customs, I'm relying on a single myth where Thor pretends to be a bride to get his hammer back. It mentions he's veiled, wears a necklace, and puts keys on his belts. (Loki is involved. Can someone please write that?)

As for who Merida's husband is, take your pick. It could be one of the suitors we met in Brave, it could be some random farm boy. Doesn't really matter, and I can't see him showing too much in the (potential) future.

Thank you for choosing option 4A in the Fated Universe. If you would like this universe to continue, please review. I'll be expanding the most popular choice (4A, 4B, or 4C) based on hits/reviews/favorites in addition to the poll on my profile. If you have any suggestions for the expansion of Universe A, do let me know!


End file.
